On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[Piebald]

Ahhh interesting. Word going around is so many staff is going home due to COVID scares that attractions is having a time of it.

Having said that, I do note that basically every attraction listed uses live entertainment. And they're all seemingly closing at once.

The same live entertainment department that just had HHN cancelled on them. And the prospect of a bare bones Christmas season. And huge question marks over spring events. And all the park buyouts and convention business are goners.

What I'm basically saying is that its gonna be a very heartbreaking week in Orlando for live performers.

Just drove by a food drive specifically for theme park employees and entertainers here in Orlando so...not good

 

[MrPromey]

1) I actually like Cosmic Ray’s
2) Yes, it’s dumb to eat fast food and Starbucks, in general, at WDW. You can get that on the street for 1/2.

Dumb? What are the alternatives you suggest for a semi-local with an AP going with kids? Lose a few hours of the day leaving property and coming back? Packing uncrustables? Start booking ADRs half a year in advance randomly to deal with that mess?

I'd be happy to spend more time at the better restaurants but they've made that hard to the point of nearly impossible over the last decade or so for anyone not making lunch/dinner plans half a year ahead of time.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Exactly. It's taking into account the low guest attendance counts and the amount of staffing required for the attractions. Kang & Kodos and Storm Force surprise me, but that's a good chunk of savings each month to not operate, maintain, etc on an ongoing basis that don't really move the meter in terms of satisfaction numbers or ridership numbers. Really feeling for those at UO (workers), of which I know quite a few and my heart goes out to them. Having been at UO before at HP as a worker, I'm sure it's feeling like those days all over again.



Has anything survived as long as Kidzone considering the rides over there and the number of rumors?

I would have guessed that the reason for Kang and Storm closing down is because they're not getting a lot of children in the park.

But then Kidzone lives on...

 

[Piebald]

I've had plenty over property but you're kind of right - my main gripes are with the fast service and the fast service offered at Magic Kingdom (in particular), Hollywood Studios and most of Epcot.

The MK in particular though, being the busiest theme park in the world feels like a place that, for the type of people they want to have there, and for what they charge for the food, should be providing something better than they are - both in food and overal experience - especially when reservations are so hard to come by for table service.

Yeah Cosmic Ray's is not great. But Satuli Canteen is decent as are most of the options at AK, Epcot and HS. Some of the resort restaurants I'd rank on a top list of restaurants in town, let alone just the resort. Jiko, Yachtsmans Steakhouse, California Grill...all good stuff. UO has nothing even comparable. The best food at Citywalk IMO is Red Oven Pizza. It's actually decently priced and not bad.

Some places shine and some dont but overall the food at Disney is way way better. If we have friends in town we dont mind eating on Disney property but if we go to UO we just starve until leaving early and find dinner outside the park. Surprisingly, however, Volcano Bay has pretty good food especially for a water park.

 

[TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives]

I would have guessed that the reason for Kang and Storm closing down is because they're not getting a lot of children in the park.

But then Kidzone lives on...

That too.

Kidzone will outlive us all. I guess Woody Woodpecker coaster and Fievel's playland is still open?

 

[brb1006]

I'm only here to beat Iger's *** for ****ing up my company!

"Your company? That should had been my company!"

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Yes, it’s dumb to eat fast food and Starbucks, in general, at WDW. You can get that on the street for 1/2.

Starbucks are virtually the same price in or out of the Disney parks. Obviously part of the Starbucks agreement because you know Disney would have doubled the prices by now if they could!

“Fast food” - you mean counter service?
I’m not sure where off property I can get wood-fired salmon and potatoes and a bottle of water for $8.

 

[brb1006]

Additional Universal news coming out it seems. I know F&F doesn’t draw much attention but I find this surprising given its age. What a disaster of an attraction.

You know that attraction is terrible when the riders are silent the entire time.

 

[disneygeek90]

That too.

Kidzone will outlive us all. I guess Woody Woodpecker coaster and Fievel's playland is still open?

I believe the coaster is operating but playland is closed. As is Curious George.

 

[brb1006]

I think I had a nightmare once that could basically be described as "A Day in the Park with Barney".

Surprised "A Day in the Park with Barney" is still hanging in there.

 

[Lilofan]

Just drove by a food drive specifically for theme park employees and entertainers here in Orlando so...not good

That's really bad. Some haven't even been recalled back to work so a food drive is what they need to survive.

 

[MrPromey]

Yeah Cosmic Ray's is not great. But Satuli Canteen is decent as are most of the options at AK, Epcot and HS. Some of the resort restaurants I'd rank on a top list of restaurants in town, let alone just the resort. Jiko, Yachtsmans Steakhouse, California Grill...all good stuff. UO has nothing even comparable. The best food at Citywalk IMO is Red Oven Pizza. It's actually decently priced and not bad.

Some places shine and some dont but overall the food at Disney is way way better. If we have friends in town we dont mind eating on Disney property but if we go to UO we just starve until leaving early and find dinner outside the park. Surprisingly, however, Volcano Bay has pretty good food especially for a water park.

My response to you was half-joke which is why I did the

But I still am frequently perturbed by the options often available on property that don't require ADRs, particularly in the parks.

I thought Beast's castle was pretty good for lunch. That's now gone - maybe for good, maybe not.

There is nothing else in the MK I'd speak positively of in that regard for any time of the day.

Hollywood Studios feels the same way to me (I'll admit we've been by the Star Wars fast service but haven't tried it yet. Last time we were there they still had funny names on the menu which my young one was afraid to try but I've heard that changed. Maybe it's great?) - bonus sad points if you end up at Backlot Express where the food is sub-par and the indoor theme they chose for a lot of the dining area comes across as dark, depressing, junkyard more than cool movie prop place, to me.

Epcot has a few good options if your party is all willing to commit to a style of food in World Showcase but they get all the "basic" options wrong.

AK, I'll say, has some reasonably good fast service.

It's just funny to me that some of their best "American" fast service is in Disney Springs where they actually have to compete with off-property offerings a stone's throw away.

For a lot of WDW, it just feels a lot like when you're there without an ARD and are in the parks, they have you trapped and they know they have you trapped so they overcharge for food McDs would be shamed for trying to serve, pretty much because they can - not everywhere but in the most frequented areas.

Given everything, food is actually low on my real list of complaints for Disney. I expect it to be kind of crappy (again - not counting table service... well, maybe Tony's) in a theme or amusement park or really anyplace that relies heavily on non-repeat business.

It just always continues to surprise me how Disney, which is supposed to set the bar on everything theme park, seems to approach this in their bussiest and most popouler spaces - it shows what they think of their guests, in my opinion, when they could do better but choose not to.

*speaking of course, pre-end-of-the-world.

 

[Lilofan]

My response to you was half-joke which is why I did the

But I still am frequently perturbed by the options often available on property that don't require ADRs, particularly in the parks.

I thought Beast's castle was pretty good for lunch. That's now gone - maybe for good, maybe not.

There is nothing else in the MK I'd speak positively of in that regard for any time of the day.

Hollywood studios feels the exact same way to me - bonus sad points if you end up at Backlot Express where the food is sub-par and the indoor theme they chose for a lot of the dining area comes across as dark, depressing, junkyard more than cool movie prop place, to me.

Epcot has a few good options if your party is all willing to commit to a style of food in World Showcase but they get all the "basic" options wrong.

AK, I'll say, has some reasonably good fast service.

It's just funny to me that some of their best fast service is in Disney Springs where they actually have to compete with off-property offerings a stone's throw away.

For a lot of WDW, it just feels a lot like they know when you're there without an ARD and are in the parks, they have you trapped and they know they have you trapped so they overcharge for food McDs would be shamed for trying to serve pretty much because they can - special emphasis on the MK being the busiest theme park in the world and all.

Given everything, food is actually low on my real list of complaints for Disney. I expect it to be kind of crappy (again - not counting table service... well, maybe Tony's) in a theme or amusement park or really anyplace that relies heavily on non-repeat business. It just always continues to surprise me how Disney which is supposed to set the bar on everything theme park seems to approach this in their bussiest and most popouler spaces - it shows what they think of their guests, in my opinion when they could do better but choose not to.

*speaking of course, pre-end-of-the-world.

I think I've seen homeowner indoor/outdoor garage sales more appealing than DHS Backlot Express.

 

[tirian]

Of course it was by "Clownfish TV" and "Geek + Gamers"

Yeah, that’s why I didn’t post the links.

My point is that people are talking.

 

[Brer Panther]

Are you saying Johnny Depp is a virus?

If anything, I'd say that Amber Heard is.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Ahhh interesting. Word going around is so many staff is going home due to COVID scares that attractions is having a time of it.

Having said that, I do note that basically every attraction listed uses live entertainment. And they're all seemingly closing at once.

The same live entertainment department that just had HHN cancelled on them. And the prospect of a bare bones Christmas season. And huge question marks over spring events. And all the park buyouts and convention business are goners.

What I'm basically saying is that its gonna be a very heartbreaking week in Orlando for live performers.

Or the near future by the sounds of it.

 

[TeriofTerror]

My response to you was half-joke which is why I did the

But I still am frequently perturbed by the options often available on property that don't require ADRs, particularly in the parks.

I thought Beast's castle was pretty good for lunch. That's now gone - maybe for good, maybe not.

There is nothing else in the MK I'd speak positively of in that regard for any time of the day.

Hollywood studios feels the exact same way to me - bonus sad points if you end up at Backlot Express where the food is sub-par and the indoor theme they chose for a lot of the dining area comes across as dark, depressing, junkyard more than cool movie prop place, to me.

Epcot has a few good options if your party is all willing to commit to a style of food in World Showcase but they get all the "basic" options wrong.

AK, I'll say, has some reasonably good fast service.

It's just funny to me that some of their best fast service is in Disney Springs where they actually have to compete with off-property offerings a stone's throw away.

For a lot of WDW, it just feels a lot like they know when you're there without an ARD and are in the parks, they have you trapped and they know they have you trapped so they overcharge for food McDs would be shamed for trying to serve pretty much because they can - special emphasis on the MK being the busiest theme park in the world and all.

Given everything, food is actually low on my real list of complaints for Disney. I expect it to be kind of crappy (again - not counting table service... well, maybe Tony's) in a theme or amusement park or really anyplace that relies heavily on non-repeat business. It just always continues to surprise me how Disney which is supposed to set the bar on everything theme park seems to approach this in their bussiest and most popouler spaces - it shows what they think of their guests, in my opinion when they could do better but choose not to.

*speaking of course, pre-end-of-the-world.

I like Skipper Canteen. I've had consistently good meals there and a lot of luck snagging a walk-up table.

 

[MrPromey]

I like Skipper Canteen. I've had consistently good meals there and a lot of luck snagging a walk-up table.

That's good to know. We'll try for that one.

Thank you.

 

[Askimosita]

That's really bad. Some haven't even been recalled back to work so a food drive is what they need to survive.

My sister is one of those people... still furloughed and she is on the Disney Aspire program so basically college is still on hold too. Talk about stress.

 

[Brer Oswald]

When was Iger supposed to retire originally? 2016? Bet he’ll wish he did after all this. He won’t be able to avoid the negative stigma Eisner had on the back end of his legacy.